NBC pushing back ‘Southland’

Cop drama to premiere Oct. 23 instead of Sept. 25

NBC is pushing the sophomore season premiere date for “Southland” back a month.

The John Wells cop drama will now bow on Friday, Oct. 23, instead of its original Sept. 25 air date.

Insiders said the Peacock hopes to use the extra month to further promote the show, which they worried was getting lost in the fall marketing shuffle. New premiere date will move “Southland” away from the noisy launches of CBS’ “Medium” and Fox’s “Dollhouse,” both of which were set to preem against “Southland” on Sept. 25.

Peacock will air “Dateline NBC” in the Friday 9 p.m. timeslot until “Southland” bows.

“Southland” launched strongly last spring for NBC, but then saw its audience erode over time. NBC likely wants to give “Southland” a launch akin to a series premiere, and hopes to do so once others (including “The Jay Leno Show”) have bowed.